Spinning an AS

[cirrusdriver]

Hi all,
New to the forum with a new Pendleton model on order. I live in a busy area of NJ and will only be able to pull into my property frontward. I'll then need to unhitch and spin the AS around to park it. I have enough room to rotate it for parking but not enough to use my tow vehicle. My question is whether anyone has tried to position their trailer using an ATV along with a jack stand wheel to support the tongue weight? If that's not viable the only alternative I've seen is to use the product from PurpleLine. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Mike

[55AS]

I have used a golf cart to move mine around in the garage.
Some folks have used a Trailer Valet (google it) and I think there are some other powered devices you can use.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by cirrusdriver

Hi all,
New to the forum with a new Pendleton model on order. I live in a busy area of NJ and will only be able to pull into my property frontward. I'll then need to unhitch and spin the AS around to park it. I have enough room to rotate it for parking but not enough to use my tow vehicle. My question is whether anyone has tried to position their trailer using an ATV along with a jack stand wheel to support the tongue weight? If that's not viable the only alternative I've seen is to use the product from PurpleLine. Any thoughts?
Thanks
Mike

The jacks supplied on new Airstreams have a warning label applied, telling you to not ever use a wheel on the base of the jack.

[Echelon73]

I would go with something like this if it will support the tongue weight: http://www.powerdolly.co/

Check out this thread on the same subject: http://www.airforums.com/forums/f464...ly-120502.html

[CRH]

Is there a grade?

[idroba]

Also realize that with a dual axle trailer spinning, in a small space, is quite difficult as the tires have to be forced sideways due to their distance apart. You are dragging the tires sideways.

I had a very difficult parking location at my parents cottage. I had to back and turn a trailer around in a tiny area, and found I had to take one set of tires off the trailer (the rear axle) so I could make it do the necessary dance. Without doing that it was impossible to do the job.

[SCOTTinNJ]

First, welcome from a "local."

Second, is there no way to back in? Even if you have to stop traffic to do it?

[dkottum]

As Idroba said the resistance to "spinning" the two axle trailer will be great. I would also worry about the tongue jack collapsing while pulling the tongue sideways, even with a wheel on it.

With practice, it only takes a minute or so to back it into your driveway. Maybe there's a time of day when it's not so busy?

[cirrusdriver]

Thanks for the feedback everyone. Love this forum.

[CapriRacer]

I just want to point out the potential damage to the tires. Google "Interply Shear". There are many who think that this is a cause to many failures in trailer tires.

[OTRA15]

There were other threads on this recently. I will look for them.

For starters, using the Search function at top right on the menu bar, and then the Google search function within the pop-up box, here are the results for "turn trailer around driveway" --

https://cse.google.com/cse?cx=011403...way&gsc.page=1

The first few threads on those search results will link the recent threads I was thinking about.

And ditto to the comment about backing in, even if you need to stop traffic to do so. Your local police should be happy to help if you line this up ahead of time IMO.

Good luck!

[xrvr]

Might be easier to hook up again and then back out to the street.

[paiceman]

Id suggest looking into one of the dollys available and unhooking in the street and moving the trailer with a dolly or a small tractor in backwards instead of trying to "spin" it for the reasons posted. OR put a hitch on the front of your tow vehicle, hopefully a pick up and drive the trailer in that way - much easier.

Good Luck

Bud

[xrvr]

Originally Posted by paiceman

Id suggest looking into one of the dollys available and unhooking in the street and moving the trailer with a dolly or a small tractor in backwards instead of trying to "spin" it for the reasons posted. OR put a hitch on the front of your tow vehicle, hopefully a pick up and drive the trailer in that way - much easier.

Good Luck

Bud

Front hitch, great idea.!

[mimiandrews]

I had a front hitch receiver installed on my pickup a couple of years ago, and it's great! It is much easier to get the Airstream into a tight place with that than it is to back it in. Cost was quite reasonable--under $300, as I remember.

[mandolindave]

I am in Chatham. Went to High School in Summit. We could meet up and exchange telephone numbers, in case you need help on something.

I have the same problem. A bit of a busy street AND my driveway goes downhill. I pull over…wait for a lull in traffic and back down in. I suggest going over to the High School on the weekend and practice backing up. Here are some tips on backing up.

#1 Go slow

#2 A little turn of the steering wheel goes a long way.

#3 The direction of the bottom of the steering wheel determines which way the trailer will turn

#4 Not REALLY important…but if you can…try not to stop. You won't always be able to back up without stopping. But I lose my hand to eye to trailer coordination when I stop.

When are you expecting delivery ? ( from Colonial I guess )

[switz]

Note that the the 27FB Pendleton model has a tongue weight of 923 pounds per the Airstream literature. The Airstream literature tongue weights have historically been understated and after loading, this model could easily approach 1,100 pounds. The GVW is 7,800 pounds with the base (no options or water) weight of 6,523 pounds.

This is mentioned because front mounted hitches do NOT have the same load capacity or trailer capacity as rear hitches. The highest rated Curt front hitch I installed on my 2012 Dodge Ram 2500 HD is rated 500 pounds tongue weight and a 5,000 pound trailer. The rear mounted Curt hitch is rated 2,550 pounds and a 17,000 pounds trailer.

One would need to do some real homework before loading the front end of the tow vehicle with nearly twice the rating of the hitch. Substantial damage could also be done to the tow vehicle front suspension if the axle is not rated high enough that there is still capacity to handle the proposed tongue weight.

Good luck with the new trailer. In the literature, its looks really beautiful. Welcome to the forums.

[SCOTTinNJ]

We should do a local meetup. I'm in Basking Ridge and one of my neighbors also has an Airstream. That's at least 4 of us.

And yes, my road is a bit congested but people give a 30' trailer a pretty wide berth - for the most part. I try to pick times to get home that I know will be less congested than other times.

[Mike S.]

Just thinking out loud. I've used car dollies to move cars around. They are basically casters that go under the tires and then you can push the car around as you need to. Would be a hassle to jack the trailer each time, and you would have to be on a level surface. But they would definitely allow you to move the trailer once you had the tongue fixed to something to push it around. Gravel wouldn't be good either. Mike